Editorial: Deal doesn't fix Congress

Crises averted, we're left with same dysfunction

The governing crisis that ended Wednesday restored federal workers to their jobs and removed, for now, the threat of economic calamity, but we're a long way from restoring the public's faith that Congress can act in the national interest, and there's good reason for that.

The debt and budget crises did not soften either party's policy positions, nor did they provide a foundation for future agreements when the next deadlines hit in December or January, so we see little reason expect Congress to deliver on even a modest agenda to tackle the country's legislative priorities.

In addressing the media after the Senate passed the compromise bill, President Barack Obama declared "There are no winners here," certainly the understatement of the day.

Standard & Poor's estimate the 16-day shutdown cost the economy $24 billion dollars, quite a price to what was effectively a GOP temper tantrum. The shutdown hurt federal employees and needy people dependent on government programs, and it undermined U.S. prestige and credibility around the world.

In his address, the president outlined three longstanding policy priorities that he hoped Congress would take up, all three of which have been stalled by the House Republican caucus.

» "Sit down and pursue a balanced approach to a responsible budget."» "Finish the job of fixing our broken immigration system." » "Pass the Farm Bill."

Tackling any of these, however, would require an extraordinary commitment of both Democrats and Republicans, but especially Republicans, to walk away from ideological allegiances to forces that are utterly uninterested in compromise or, in our view, the interests of most Americans.

We don't see it happening. Even more importantly, see no signs of the emergence leaders who are willing address the underlying causes of Congress' inability to govern.

Congress is broken because too many politicians see political engagement as war, a zero sum game utterly devoid of the basic democratic values that for generations allowed our lawmakers to craft laws and policy that reflected the diversity of our nation.

Maddening, however, is the fact that it's been a minority of politicians who have been able to grind the process to a halt.

In a column written in 2011, former House Democrat Lee Hamilton offered relatively straight-forward, procedural solutions that could help prevent the partisanship that paralyzed Congress:

» Redress the outsize role of special-interest money in elections.» Reduce partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts.» Eliminate closed state primaries that enable ideological activists to dominate elections.» Remove he intense partisanship of committee staffers out of the legislative process.

The problem, of course, is that both parties use these practices to their advantage when the opportunity arises.

So long as the House and Senate fail to confront the underlying causes of the partisan dysfunction in Congress, we remain vulnerable to the kinds of standoffs we just witnessed. We need leaders who are willing to fight those battles, and right now we don't see many takers.

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Editorial: Deal doesn't fix Congress

The governing crisis that ended Wednesday restored federal workers to their jobs and removed, for now, the threat of economic calamity, but we're a long way from restoring the public's faith that